When They Scream Higurashi Fanfiction
by Undremerfae
Summary: Mizu Yamino is a shrine maiden to the newly built shrine in Hinamazawa, after the disaster that hit the town the original shrine. Mizu tries to find out the meaning of her own existence, while also balancing her love for Keiichi Maebara.
1. Weightless

Mizu tried to stand up. Everything was black. Just as it will always be. She was tired, cold, and covered in blood. What happened?

Date: June 22, 1983.

"Good morning, Karen. It's nice to see you so happy today!" Karen looked up from the kimono that was draped on her floor. "Ah. Mizu-sama. I need help with my festival Kimono." "Sure, Karen." Mizu said. She fussed with Karens kimono for a while, until it was comfortable, and cute.

Karen and Mizu were sisters six years apart. Mizu was fourteen and Karen was eight years old. Their parents were murdered when Karen was six. the murderer was never found. Ever since the death of their mother and father, they moved to Hinamizawa. Mizu became the shrine maiden of the Newly built shrine, which the Watanagashi festival would be held at from now on.

"Hey, Mizu-sama," Karen said, "Do you like Keiichi-sama?" Mizu blushed. "Aha! No! he's not my type!" Karen tilted her head and looked at her. "Then why did you invite him to the Watanagashi tonight?" Mizu out on a stern, calm face. "Karen. Ever since we came here….you knew. Oyashiro-sama will get him…if he's caught doing anything bad." Karen's eyes widened. "Mizu-sama. Today somebody will--" Mizu closed her eyes. "Yes Karen. I wonder who it's going to be…."

----8:30 PM. Night of the Watanagashi

Mizu raised the hoe and dug it into the cotton. She repeated this many times, until the ceremonial drums stopped banging. When they did. Mizu turned at the audience and bowed. She raised her hoe again and rang the bells attached to the tassel. She walked off the stage. She looked at a group of people. "oh…Kei-chan?" Karen jumped up and hugged Miizu. "Mizu-sama! That was really good this year!" Mizu's eyes were fixed on Keiichi.

Keiichi Maebara. Mizu had "loved" him since she first came to Hinamazawa. When she did, he was new there too, so they explored a lot together. But sooner or later, He got new friends, and they didn't really talk much. Mizu always wished they would end up together some day, but…

"Mizu-chan? Is that you…" A boys voice startled Mizu into turning around. "K…Keiichi-kun! H..hey!" Keiichi smiled. "Good performance….I was wondering…um..." Mion, showed up and put her elbow on his shoulder. "Kei-chan? You trying to pick up girls?…how low…" Mizu blushed. "Eh…" Keiichi spun to his side and glared at mion. "M…Mion! What is it to you?!" Mizu laughed. "Keiichi-kun! you really are interesting!"

A sudden feeling came over mizu. It made her feel weightless. Like her mind was filled with only one thing. Love? Hate? What….was…it…? Mizu observed Mion and Keiichi shouting at each other. "I..I was just gonna ask her if she wanted to come to the club after school!" "And…what '_activities_' do you plan to do?" "M...Mion! Shut the hell up!" Mizu blushed. "Um…is that what you were going to ask…me…?" Keiichi looked at mizu and blushed a little. "A little…I guess…so….Do you wanna come?" Mizu smiled. "Sure. I have to go now," Mizu bowed and took Karen's hand, "Bye, Keiichi-kun." She walked away from the smiling, blushing Keiichi. Mion nudged him. "so, Kei-chan. What '_activities_' _are_ you gonna do?" Keiichi glared at her. "Shut up."

7:45, June 23, 1983

Mizu walked alone with Karen to school every morning. Today was different. Karen was sick, and had to stay home alone, so Mizu walked by herself. "Keiichi-kun…do you…? Do you? I do... I love you…but…do I?" Mizu thought to herself. The sudden weightless feeling she had last night…she just couldn't forget that feeling.

she heard running footsteps. She spun around to see who it was. "Mizu-chan! Wait a sec'!" It was Keiichi. Mizu smiled to herself. "Keiichi…" Keiichi caught up to mizu and was breathing hard. "M…Mizu-chan! Sorry about last night! Mion and everyone else can really be Jack-ass's sometimes…" Mizu smiled. "No. It's okay…."

She was never alone with Keiichi before. "I'm going to ask him. I'm gonna do it…." She thought. "Ne…Keiichi-kun." Keiichi looked over at Mizu, who's head was lowered. "Yeah?" He asked sweetly. "Have you ever felt…" Mizu held her bookcase tightly. "Weightless….?" Keiichi smiled. "what are you talking about…?" He asked. "Keiihci-kun. I don't know why but…I feel Weightless when I'm near you. Like nothing bad can happen to me…" Keiichi blushed. "E…ehhh…?" Mizu stopped walking, and Keiichi stopped and turned to her. "Mizu-chan? What are you talking about?" Mizu blushed a lot. "I..I don't know exactly what I feel but….I just...I guess I like you a little…" She looked away afraid to see his face. Keiichi blushed. "Mizu-chan…um…" Mizu looked at him. "Sorry…Just forget I said anything." She said. She started to walk to school. She felt someone grab her hand. She turned and looked. "K...Keiichi-kun…?" Keiichi was looking down. "Mizu-chan…do you honestly think that I don't feel the same way?" Mizu blushed. "K..Keii…chi…-kun…" He looked up.

"I ike you. Mizu-chan."

Mizu blushed and looked away. Her heart was beating fast. She felt like she did on the night of the Watanagashi…but this feeling now was so similar it was different. She turned to him. "I do to…" She said quietly. "Eh?" Mizu turned to him. "I like you too. I…I always did." Keiichi smiled. "Mizu-chan…I know this is kind of expected for me to say this now but…do you wanna go out sometime…?" Mizu held his hand tighter. "Yes." She said. Keiichi smiled. "Good!" Mizu and Keiichi walked to school together. Halfway there, Mizu said, "Keiichi…can We hold arms…?" Keiichi smiled "Sure." He said happily. Mizu smiled and blushed. She held Keiichi's arm tightly but gently. Keiichi smiled and held Mizu's arm too. "Keiichi…please don't ever leave me." She thought. "I love you more than ever."

Mizu and Keiichi got to the school gate where everyone was waiting. "Oh! What's this?!" Just before Mizu could touch the lock for the gate. Mion jumped at the couple. "Kei-chan! So you _finally _asked her out?! You've been talking about it for like, a week!" Mizu smiled. "Good morning, Mion-san." Mion smiled and leaned at Mizu. "Mizu-chan..I hate to say this but…" She held a hand to her face and whispered to Mizu. "He's still a viiiirrrgiiinn." "Hey! What the hell, Mion! Don't tell her that!" Mizu blushed. "Keiichi…really?" Keiichi blushed. "well, Not- not exactly-not very.…yes…yes I am…" Keiichi said, feeling very weakened by Mion's cruel comment. Mizu smiled. "Oh well. It's okay." She said. Keiichi watched Mizu walk to class. "W…what? She said it as if she was going to…I hope that happens sooo bad." Mion watched Keiichi catch back up to Mizu. "Keiichi...give it your best…'k?."


	2. Ai

Mizu looked out the window. Class was almost over, and Mizu really wanted it to be over. A couple of minutes later, Rika came over to talk to Mizu. "Mizu-chama!" Mizu looked up from her doodles of hearts and arrows to look at the little girl. "Rika-chan. Hey." Mizu said smiling. "Mizu." Rika said. All of a sudden Rika's voice became calm yet stern…like an adult. "You are the Shrine maiden right? Then you should know…." Mizu looked startled for a moment. "About the curse…right?" Rika looked down. "Yes. Year after year, someone dies….and someone disappears. It's just not right. If you are the shrine maiden now. You can't escape. But the easiest thing for you, is to know…what happens…and what happened in the future." Mizu looked confused. Rika started to walk away. A sudden shock went through Mizu's veins. "Happened? But the future hasn't come…." Rika stopped walking.

"Hasn't it?" She said in that same adult voice.

She continued walking out of the class room. Rika left Mizu in a state of confusion.

A sudden thought came to Mizu. "Ah! Maybe Keiichi knows about it…." She got up but before she could walk out the door, Keiichi came running in. He stopped after noticing Mizu was there. "Ah, Keiichi!" She walked up to him a little. "I was just going to find you! I wanted to ask you something--"

He quickly hugged Mizu. "Eh…..Eh…ehh? K...Keiichi! What are you doing?" Keiichi tried to explain, but he said it too fast. "M…Mion's looking for me! She remembered I didn't win yesterdays punishment game and now she's coming to look for me!" Mizu looked at the corner of her eye to the rested head of her new boyfriend on her shoulder. She sound feel his heartbeat and his soft breathing. She closed her eyes tightly. It was still embarrassing for her even if everyone knew they were going out now. She heard running footsteps. "Keeiii-chaaannn!!! I know where you are!" It was Mion. Soon enough, Mion ran into the room. "Oh! What's this?! Kei-chan having a romantic moment? If I had a penny…I'd have one penny! Ha!" Keiichi let go of Mizu, but didn't let go, he just loosened his grip. Mizu's heat beat fast. "My first hug with Keiichi…" She thought. Keiichi mumbled something about how Mion always finds him. "C'mon Kei-chan. What a lame way of trying to hide. Dude, if you were getting married I'd call you out here to do the punishment! Now c'mon!" "Fine! I'm coming." He mumbled. He leaned at Mizu and whispered in her ear, "As long as it's nothing damaging my health, wait for me outside, k?" Mizu blushed. "O…okay…" She watched Keiichi walk off with Mion into the homeroom.

4:00 P.M.

Mizu did what Keiichi told her and waited at the gate for him. She watched the sky turn gold, and the clouds pink. The wind blew a little, and she thought of Keiichi.

Her Keiichi.

She started humming a song her Mom would sing to her always when she was sad. "Smile, Smile, Don't drown yourself. Cry, Cry, Don't be afraid, all in good time my eternal summer…"

She got the same weightless feeling again. That feeling she didn't know if she loved or hated. But if she thought of Keiichi, she guessed she loved it.

She heard footsteps. She turned around to see who it was. Keiichi was walking with one hand over his face and he was looking down. "They got me. And they told me to say something to you." he moved his hand from his face and looked up. "Meow….I'm a cat." Mizu blushed as she looked at the cute animal markings on his face. "K..Keiichi! Th…They drew whiskers on you….and rings around your eyes…." She said. "I know that." Keiichi said with a defeated miserable voice. "They also told me to tell you something else but I'll tell you on the way home." Mizu smiled. "M'Kay!" Keiichi walked with his head down and opened the gate up. Mizu walked past Keiichi while looking at his animal markings in the corner of her eye. When Keiichi closed the gate behind him Mizu stopped. "Ne, Keiichi. Are you going to tell me now?" Keiichi looked up at her. "Not yet. I'm trying to think of what to say." Mizu blushed. "O…okay." Mizu looked down and then looked up. "K…Keiichi…!"

Keiichi had started holding Mizu's waist.

Keiichi looked at her. "What?" He asked. Mizu looked down. "N...nothing…" He continued to hold Mizu at her waist. Mizu's heart beat fast. She prayed Keiichi wouldn't notice. After a couple of minutes he let go and stopped walking. Mizu stopped with him. "Mizu. Wanna come to my house? My parents would like to meet ya." Mizu blushed. "s…sure." Keiichi took Mizu's hand and started running. "C'mon! I wanna get this stuff off of my face too." Mizu smiled.

After a couple minutes of running, They finally reached Keiichi's house. It was a lot larger than Mizu's, but then again she spent the night in a small house along side of the shrine.

"Oh! Who's this Keiichi?" Mizu saw a woman walking up to them. The woman looked down and noticed they were holding hands. "Oh? Is she your girlfriend?" Keiichi blushed. "Y…yeah…but mom don't--" Keiichi's mom bent over a little to look at Mizu. Mizu blushed a little. "I'm…Mizu…" She said quietly, afraid to speak in fear of what Keiichi's mom would say. Keiichi's mom smiled. "Oh! Keiichi! _This_ is Mizu? I've heard your name multiple times the past week or two…" Keiichi started to drag Mizu away from his overly obsessed mother. "Bye, mom!" He shouted as he brought Mizu up the stairs. Mizu wanted to hold his arm, but since his mom was in the house and probably watching….

They got to Keiichi's room. He opened the door and smiled. "There! Yep! This is where I spend the night." Mizu smiled. "Wow! My room is so tiny compared to this!" She looked at the wall clock, the phone, and the unmade futon on the floor. Keiichi smiled. "I'm gonna go wash this off my face. I'm shocked my mom didn't say anything. I guess she's just used to viewing the results of my failures." Mizu laughed a little. Keiichi walked out of the room. She looked around the room and lay down on his futon. It was nice to relax. "I hope he doesn't come back right away and sees me lying here…" She sat up again, and viewed the room. "Why? Do I feel as if I've been here…?" She heard the door close. She turned and looked at Keiichi. "Mizu. I'm going to tell you what they told me to tell you…" Mizu's heart beat fast. "What is it...?" She asked. Keiichi turned to her. He walked down and sat on the futon with her. He laughed a little to him self. "What?" Mizu asked. "Are you going to lie to me?" Keiichi smiled. "No! It's just a hard thing to bring up." Mizu blushed. "Well what is it?" Keiichi looked at her and then down after a moment, he looked back up and blushed. "Mizu…Um…" Mizu leaned at him. "What?" Keiichi closed his eyes. "Please don't get weirded out if I say it okay? They didn't word anything for me, I thought of what to say, alright?" Mizu nodded. "Yeah." Keiichi blushed a little. "Close your eyes." He said. Mizu closed her eyes, willing to do so to hear what he had to say. Keiichi closed his again, and took mizu's hand. Mizu opened her eyes for a moment, but closed them after observing what he did.

Keiichi leaned in and kissed Mizu on the lips. Keiichi blushed and looked down. "That was what I had to say…." He said. Mizu blushed. "K...Keiichi…" She looked away quickly, in shock, but not upset. "I'm sorry Mizu! I won't do it agai-" Keiichi said, trying to apologize. Mizu lunged in and hugged him. "Keiichi!" Keiichi's heart beat fast, and this time Mizu could hear it pounding against his warm chest. Mizu clenched his shirt. "If that's all you had to say." She smiled. "Say it more." She said. Keiichi smiled. "I will." Mizu looked down. "Hey Keiichi. Doesn't Rika live alone?" Keiichi looked down at her. "Yeah. With Satoko though. Why?" Mizu looked up at him. "It's nothing. I thought she was just lonely or something. She's really a sweet girl!" Keiichi smiled. "Yep!" There was a knock on the door. "Mizu! There's someone at the door for you, they say their name is…..

Rika Furude."


	3. Truth be told

Mizu's eyes widened. "R…rika-chan?" She got up from the floor and looked at Keiichi. Keiichi shrugged and Mizu turned to the door. She walked town his stairs and looked at Rika. "Rika-chan! Why are you here?" Rika looked at her and smiled. "Mii! I came to see you!" Mizu smiled. "That's really nice but…how did you know I was here?" Rika looked down. "I just knew." Mizu's eyes widened, "Well, I went to your house and you weren't there, just Karen was! Nipah!" Mizu calmed down a little. "O…Oh….okay then." Mizu sat on the stairs. "Mizu-chan. I wanted to ask you something," Rika said. "did you ever know about……what happened here?" Mizu tilted her head. "No….what happened?" Rika looked around to see if anyone was watching. Rika's voice turned into ice. "The dismemberment murder." Mizu's eyes widened. "The what…?" Rika looked around again. "Mizu. Do some research. There's something only you and I should know about this town." Mizu stood up again. "I'll ask Keiichi! He's sure to know! …….right?" Rika looked up her. "No! Mizu-chan! He doesn't know! Please don't tell anyone!" Mizu looked down. "Okay." Rika looked at her. "If you do. The future will repeat itself." Mizu stepped back a little bit. "I understand." Rika smiled. "Bye-bye, Mizu-chan!" Rika smiled and moved her hands like a cat, "Nya-nya!" she said. She trotted out the door. Mizu was freaked out. She ran up to Keiichi. "Keiichi, I have to go home." Keiichi blinked. "Why?" Mizu looked at him. "I can't say." Keiichi smiled. "okay…" He said sweetly. Mizu smiled back and waved goodbye. She ran down the stairs and out the door. She ran all the way to the shrine.

"No! Dismemberment…?! That's not the Hinamizawa I know! No! But….Why did she tell me? Because I'm the shrine maiden?"

She reached the shrine and saw Karen standing at the gate. "Mizu-sama! There you are!" Karen smiled and ran to her sister. Mizu patted her on the head. "How are you, Karen? Were you okay by yourself?" Karen nodded. "Yes! Rika-sama came by and gave me something." Mizu tilted her head. "What was it?" Karen turned away. "It was a Anzen-charm." Mizu's eyes widened. "A….safety charm…?"Karen smiled and turned back at Mizu. "For next years Watanagashi." Mizu smiled. "Well, that's nice! Keep it safe!" Mizu said, cheerfully. Karen nodded. "I will! I will!" Mizu took her hand and walked home with her. (It wasn't that long of a walk, considering they lived right next to the shrine.) Mizu took off her shoes, and walked into the kitchen. "I'll get some dinner ready." She opened the small pantry and bent down to see if there was any instant ramen. "Hmmm….nothing." She looked around some more and found some ramen. "Grilled pork bone and ginger flavor…..ew I hate this flavor." She pushed it behind the other ingredients and sighed. She walked over to Karen. "We have to skip inner….sorry…" Karen pouted. "Then go to the store tomorrow, Mizu-sama!" She smiled. "I'll go with you! Can Rika-sama come too?" Mizu smiled. "Sure." She bent down to Her sisters height and poked her nose. "If Keiichi-kun gets to come too!" Karen blushed. "Mizu-sama! You do like him!" Mizu smiled. "It's a secret! If you tell anyone else, I'll make you swallow one-_thousand _needles! Kya-ha!" Mizu stood back up again. "Karen, go on and take a bath okay? I need to call someone…." Karen smiled. "Okay! Mii!" She ran to the other room. Mizu waited a minute until she heard the water running. She walked over to the phone. She picked it up and dialed Keiichi's phone number. She waited a few rings and then—

"Hello?"

"Keiichi-kun! this is Mizu! I-I'm sorry for calling you so late but…"

"Ah, It's okay, I was just watching T.V." He replied.

Mizu smiled. "Good….I didn't want to bother you…."

Keiichi stood up and started walking upstairs. "Actually Mizu, there's something I wanted to ask you…"

Mizu blushed. "Huh?"

Keiichi went in his room and closed the door. "Oyashiro-sama's curse."

Mizu spaced out for a moment. "Oh! That? Heh….In my opinion it's a stupid legend. Why'd ya bring it up?"

Keiichi sat down on his bed. "I was just thinking. I heard Takono and Jirou-san talking about it….and now I just have an uneasy feeling…"

Mizu smiled. "Oh….So you want to know more about it then?" she heard a muffled "yes" on the other line. "Okay….let's see….

A long time ago, Hinamizawa used to be feared as the "Village Where Demons Live", so pretty much, that's a bad thing. Um….There have been a series of deaths starting from a long time ago…about 5 years…all happening on the same day….The Watanagashi Festival. Of course, in my opinion, it's a bunch of crap…you know, this whole "curse" thing….so I never really thought of it."

Keiichi sighed a little. "Oh….Okay…" he said quietly. "But Mizu, you're the shrine maiden! shouldn't you know?" Mizu lowered her head. "I'm sorry...I don't really know much. Like I said, I'm not that pulled in by all of this, so I don't want to think about it. Sorry…" Keiichi plopped down on his bed. "Well, it's okay. I'll see you tomorrow…" Mizu smiled. "Oh, an' Keiichi-kun….?" Keiihi blushed a little. He liked talking to mizu. "Hm?" Mizu blushed. "Can I come to club tomorrow too?" Keiichi smiled. "Well, if You can get past Mion! Of course, then you have to deal with the penalty game. You okay with that?" Mizu nodded. "I guess so. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Bye, Mizu."

"Bye."


	4. Welcome to the Club

Mizu waited a minute after hanging up the phone. She walked to her room in silence, and started to cry a little. "Keiichi-kun…I don't want to hide anything from you…..what if you won't like me anymore if you figure out what I'm hiding? What would you do? I'm sorry…" She closed her teary eyes and sang a song her mom would sing to her…. "Smile, Smile, Don't drown yourself. Cry, Cry, Don't be afraid, all in good time my eternal summer…There is a hope, within all this sin…am I right? A dream of a better home, that I'll protect you in, a dream, of the untouched forest, what was that place? Who was holding me as I cried?" She stopped singing and closed her eyes and went to sleep.

---

Mizu was shaken awake by little hands, pushing at her arm. "Miiiizu-samaaa! there's someone at the door!" Mizu rubbed her eyes, and sat up to walk to the door. She was tiered and her eyes could barely open because of the tears last night. She opened the door. It was Keiichi. "K…Keiichi-kun!" He turned to her (he was looking the other way.) "Ah. Mizu-chan. Are you coming to school? You were running a little late, so I thought I'd come get you." Mizu smiled. "Yeah. Karen…do you want to go to school today? are you feeling better?" Karen smiled. "Yep! I wanna go! I wanna go!" Mizu smiled. "Okay." she turned to Keiichi. "We'll be right down. Sorry…" Keiichi smiled. "'Kay." Mizu ran upstairs with Karen and to the bathroom. They swished some Listerine in their mouths, and brushed their hair. Karen trotted down the stairs faster than Mizu could. Karen hugged Keiichi. "Keiichi-sama! Do you love my sister?" Keiichi blushed and smiled. "She's really nice. And yea, I like her." Mizu ran up to them. "Karen, you need to wait for me!" She laughed. She walked next to Keiichi and Karen noticed. "Mizu-sama! Keiichi-sama says he loves you! Are you going to get married!?" Mizu smiled and looked at Keiichi, It's okay, she says things like that a lot. Keiichi stopped walking. Mizu and Karen looked back at him. He lowered his head. "Mizu…." He looked up. "Aren't we?" Mizu blushed. "K….Keiiichi-kun!" She spun around. "Hauu…hau-au au…..!!!" Mizu lowered her head so he couldn't see her blushing. She felt a pat on her back. "I'm kidding…." Mizu's blushing stopped a little. Karen smiled. "Mizu-sama's happy now, Keiichi-sama!" Keiichi looked at her and smiled. "Me too." Mizu looked up at Keiichi. "Keiichi-kun…don't you walk with Rena in the mornings?" Keiichi looked down at her. "Usually, yes. we waited for you for a little, but then she told me to go on and pick you up. She was going to head out on her own." Mizu smiled. "Okay." Keiichi smiled and held Mizu's hand. Mizu looked up at him in the corner of her eye. Keiichi looked back, and Mizu quickly looked away and blushed.

When they got to school, Rika was already there. Mizu saw her and she felt cold all of a sudden. The only words she could think of were, "Dismemberment Murder." But for some reason she felt like she knew about it already. She walked over to Rika. "Rika-chan..." Rika looked up at her. "Can I talk to you?" Rika looked conused for a second, but then agreed to come with her in the hallway to talk."

"I see…" Said Mizu quietly after listening to Rika's story. "So…the dismemberment murder…you told me because I'm the shrine maiden and….I needed to know?" Mizu asked. Rika shook her head. "No, Mizu. I told you because like all of my friends, you are very special to me, but the future is still waiting, so you aren't more special than the others yet." Mizu blanked out for a moment. "Eh?" Rika looked down. "Mizu." Her voice turned to ice. "I've found myself trying to change fate, but I've realized now, that I truly have no way out this time….I need you Mizu…help me escape this once and for all. Mizu, you being the shrine maiden of what used to be my shrine, is for a reason….but it might have to be explained another time…..or in another world…" Mizu looked down. "Rika-chan……What is your fate…?" Rika looked down. "Mizu….I--" Keiichi opened the class door to the hallway. "Ah. Mizu, Rika. Class is about to start. Come in." Mizu watched as Rika smiled. "Mii! Keiichi-san, okay!" Mizu followed the two into the room slowly. She sat in her seat and started the day.

-7 hours later-

Mizu was about to get up and go, but someone jolted her, "Yo-hooo! Mizu-chan! Ya ready for club?!" Mizu tried to break free from Mion's tight grasp. "S…sure" She said, with her voice muffled from being squeezed. She looked at everyone after Mion let go. "What game is it?" Everyone looked at her and said. "Punishment game."


End file.
